The Way We Live Now: Fulfilling our old bright ideas. Facts of the world be damned! You know what would be great right about now? A $1.3 billion tower of superluxury apartments in Midtown Manhattan. This is a good idea.

Yea, we were just thinking to ourselves, "You know what this city and the world at large could use right about now? 'A $1.3 billion skyscraper on 57th Street that will overtake Trump World Tower as the tallest residential building in the city.'" That sounds like something that will fill a need.

Not in the same way that, for example, years-late reparation payments to poor black farmers would fill a need. But still, a need. A need for "136 of the most expensive and luxurious apartments in the city." Which is not the same kind of need as, say, the city of Vallejo, California has for a miracle bailout to lift it out of hopeless bankruptcy. But it is a need. Specifically, the need for something that will "loom nearly 500 feet over the Essex House and its rooftop neon sign, giving residents panoramic views."

That kind of need. Which is not to be confused with, I don't know, Africa's need for a middle class, or the need for funding to prevent the best teachers from fleeing the poorest schools, thereby creating a vicious cycle of failure. It's not exactly that type of need. It's more like the need for decadence priced at around $6,500 a square foot.

We all have needs. Some are just more realistic than others.

[Pic via]